AFC Telford......................4 Kendal Town.......................1 KENDAL Town's promotion hopes suffered another setback in this 4-1 defeat at Telford's impressive Bucks Head stadium on Monday.

It was not the result that boss Tony Hesketh was looking for, having seen his side slip to a surprise defeat against Clitheroe, at Parkside at Christmas .

In the end the margin of defeat was undoubtedly exaggerated by poor defending, particulary in conceding the last two goals.

Two changes were made to the side as Hesketh welcomed back Ged Smith to the side following a knee injury, while Lee Clitheroe was preferred to Peter Smith, who stepped down to the bench.

It was Clitheroe who made a good run from deep in the sixth minute, taking him into the area only to be eventually outnumbered by the home defence.

The opening goal came on 22 minutes when Telford's Kyle Perry pulled off the back of Dene Whittal-Williams to send a glancing header past keeper Mark Thornley.

A golden opportunity for a Kendal equaliser quickly followed when Lee Ashcroft dispossessed a Telford defender and released Kenny Mayers on goal, but his effort was kept out by the legs of home keeper Stuart Brock.

A hand-ball offence by Nigel Taylor on the edge of the area led to Telford's second goal as full back Leon Drysdale curled the ball beyond Thornley, who might have done better.

He went on to pull off a fine double save, however, to deny efforts from home captain Sean Parrish and Alfie Carter.

Kendal made an encouraging start to the second half with Ged Smith looking very lively on the left wing as he sent in a number of quality centres with which the home defence struggled, sufficiently so to suggest the game was far from finished.

Indeed it was the start of a sustained spell of Kendal pressure, which so nearly produced a goal that would have put a different complexion on the game.

Firstly Ashcroft forced Brock into a fine save and from the resulting short corner Mike Jack set up Mayers, who narrowly headed over.

Brock then came to Telford's rescue again to keep out a powerful drive from the luckless Mayers. Moments later the in-form keeper featured once more to keep out Smith's well-struck shot.

A mix-up in the Town defence handed Telford an all-important third goal.

Rick Mercer, who has not been at his best in recent games, did his keeper no favours when he passed the ball back from six yards. The unfortunate rushed clearance kick by Thornley richoched in off Telford's Ali Carter.

Ashcroft did pull one back 15 minutes from time, with a looping header over the stranded Brock, but hopes of a late comeback died a minute later when Mercer needlessly bundled over Carter inside the box and the same player converted the spot kick for Telford's fourth goal.

n How they rated: Thornley 6; Rigby 6 (Foster 7 from 67 minutes), Whittal-Williams 7, Taylor 7, Mc Menemy 5; Mercer 5 (Woodruffe 6 from 75 minutes), Clitheroe 5 (P. Smith 6 from 67 minutes); Jack 6, G.Smith 8, Mayers 6, Ashcroft 6.